of same place



No. 622,006. Patented Mar. 28, 1899.

A. JEROME.

REAR FORK END FDR CYCLES.

(Application filed Nov, 7, 1898.)

(No Model.)

INI'rEn TATES.

PATENT FFICE.

ANTHONY JEROME, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THEA. FEATHER sToNE &COMPANY, or SAME PLACE.

REAR-FORK END FOR CYCLES;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,006, dated March28, 1899.

Application filed November '7, 1898. Serial No. 6 96,788. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANTHONY JEROME, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illi nois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Rear-Fork Ends forCycles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying1o drawings, forming apart of this specification.

The present invention relates to a fitting for connecting together therear-fork tubes of bicycles and the like and affording a support for theaxle of the rear wheel thereof.

[5 The object of the present improvement is to provide a simpleandeflicient formation and arrangement of parts whereby a strong anddurable junctionof the parts is effected in a ready, certain, andeconomical manner, as will hereinafter more fully appear and be moreparticularly pointed out inthe claims.

I attain such object by the construction of parts illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure l is an elevation of the innerside of the presentimproved fork end; Fig. 2, asimilar View of the outerside of the same; Fig. 3, an elevation of the flat connecting-platemember with the thimbles or sockets ends in b section at line m 00,Figs. 5 and 6; Fig. 4, an enlarged detail section at line as 00, Fig. 1;

Figs. 5 and 6, enlarged detail sections at lines a 00 and m 00respectively, Fig. 1; and Fig. 7',

an enlarged detail section illustrating a modi- 3 5 fied form of theconnecting or pivoted stud on the plate member and which has engagementin orifices in the thimbles or sockets.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the connecting-plate of thepresent invention 'of a flat formation and formed with an open endedslot 2 for the axle, a pair of divergent prongs 3 and at, andpivot-studs 5 and 6 at 5 the base of such divergent prongs.

In the present improvement each divergent prong will consistof an outertongue portion 7 8 and semicircular base portion 9 10, the

pivot-studs 5 and 6 having a concentric ar-- rangement with relation tothe semicircular border of such base portions of the divergent prongs,the construction being such that the alinement of the parts is veryperfectly preserved during the brazing operation, and in the case of theadjustable prong 3 the adjust- 5 5 ment thereof can be readily effectedwithout danger of disturbing the concentric relation between the end ofsuch prong and the semicircular base portion of the connecting-plate.The abutting ends of the prongs will also be preferably milled out tofit the convexity of such semicircular base portions of theconnecting-plate for a more perfect attainment of the above-statedpurpose.

In the preferred construction of the prescut improvement, as illustratedin the drawings, the tongue portion 7 of the upper prong will havetapering or wedge-shaped formation, as shown in Figs. 1 and3, so as toadmit of a limiting rocking movement of the thimble that fits thereon inthe process of assembling the parts previous to the brazing operationand in order to attain the proper adjustment of the thimbles withrelation to each other in using the present fork end in con- 7 5structing different heights of bicycle-frames. The other and lowertongue portion 8 will be of a straight or parallel edge formation, asshown, so as to snugly lit the interior of the thimble that is arrangedthereon with little or no play.

The pivot or connecting studs 5 and 6 maybe integrally formed with theconnectingplate 1 during the process of stamping the same, as shown in'Fig. 4, or the same may be in the form of a separate stud 5, riveted inplace in said plate, as shown in Fig. 7.

The thimbles or sockets 11 and 12 of the present invention willpreferably be made each in the form of a sheet-metal stamping, and willcomprise an outer reduced attaching-neck 13 let and an enlarged baseportion l5 16, a material part of the present inven tion being theformation of such thimbles of a tubular form, D-shaped in cross-section,as 5 shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in that the flat inner surface of thimblesso formed afiords alarge and effective surface upon which to braze theadjacent faces of the respective prongs 3 and t of the main connectingplate, and so afford a strong and substantial attachment of the parts.

In the present construction the prongs 3 and 4 have entrance into theinterior of the respective thimbles through entrance-slits in the baseportions of the same, which slits are milled out or otherwise formed inline with the flattened wall of the thimbles, as shown. The baseportions 15 and 16 of said thimbles are preferably of a semiglobularshape, (illustrated in the drawings,) with their curved or semicircularmargin concentric with the pivot or connecting studs, as affording aheater finish, and at the same time with any pivotal adjustment of theupper thimble oifer no interference with the application of thecovering-plate that is commonly used in connection with the rear-forkends of bicycles.

17 is a hole or orifice in the flat side of the thimbles, and which isadapted to engage the pivot or connecting studs on the connectingplate 1to insure an initial proper position of the parts previous to and duringthe brazing operation.

The seam 18 of the sheet-metal stamping that forms the thimbles 11 and12 will usually be arranged centrally on the fiat portion or sidethereof, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 5, and 6. Such seams may be arrangedelsewhere, if found more convenient, without departing from the spiritof this part of my invention.

Having thus fully described my said in vention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A rear-fork end for cycles,comprising a plate connection formed with a guide-slot for the axle, andwith diverging prongs, and thimbles having a D shape in cross-sectionand the flat portions which are adapted to contact with the adjacentfiat surfaces of the prongs to afford extended brazing-surfaces and asubstantial attachment between the parts, substantially as set forth.

eaooe 2. A rear-fork end for cycles, comprising a plate connectionformed with a guide-slot for the axle and with diverging prongs one ofwhich is of a taper formation, and thimbles having a D shape incross-section and the flat portions which are adapted to contact withthe adjacent fiat surfaces of the prongs to afford extendedbrazing-surfaces and a substantial attachment between the parts,substantially as set forth.

3. A rear fork for cycles, comprising a plate connection formed with aguide-slot for the axle and with diverging prongs, each comprising atongue portion and a semicircular base and affording an abutment for theend of the thimble, and thimbles having a D shape in cross-section andthe flat portions which are adapted to contact with the adjacent fiatsurfaces of the prongs to afford extended brazing-surfaces and asubstantial attachment between the parts, substantially as set forth.

4. A rear fork for cycles, comprising a plate connection formed with aguide-slot for the axle, and diverging prongs, each comprising a tongueportion, a semicircular base afford ing an abutment for the end of thethimble, and a centering-stud, and thimbles having a D shape incross-section and provided with orifices to receive the centering-studs,the flat portions of the D shaped thimbles being adapted to contact withthe adjacent flat surfaces of the prongs to afford extendedbrazing-surfaces and substantial attachments be 3 tween the partssubstantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof witness my hand this 2d day of November, 1898.

ANTHONY JEROME.

In presence of- ROBERT BURNS, JAMns LAVALLIN.

